New Years – Page 16 – Saint David's in the Pines

WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – October 24th – Fr. Thomas

October 23, 2021/in Weekly Message /by Christian

I began my ministry as an acolyte when I was ten years old, in my local parish church in suburban Northern Kentucky, but when I was in my teens, I was also a regularly scheduled server at the Convent of the Transfiguration in Glendale Ohio, just north of Cincinnati. The nuns “imported” boys from local parishes to serve at the Sunday morning mass at 7:30 a.m. God bless my great uncle who would make the thirty-five minute drive across the river once a month or more, then transport me back to our home parish for the weekly 10:00 a.m. mass, until I got my own driver’s license and car.

The Sisters of the Transfiguration is a religious order in our Church founded in 1898 by Eva Marie Proctor – yes, a daughter of the Proctor family, as in Proctor and Gamble. In fact, the convent grounds and chapel were built directly across the road from the family estate where the young Proctor descendent had grown up. (The convent also operates a prestigious middle school to this day.) Whenever I see the company name on one of the various products in our house, I wonder what thoughts must have crossed Eva Marie’s mind on a regular basis to gaze across the road and speculate on what “might have been,” if she’d remained under the roof of the immediate family and an heiress to the family fortune.

God doesn’t call everyone to follow the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience; but those who accept the call are examples in some ways of what God expects all followers of Christ to do: not necessarily to “give up something,” but to take on something. As I’m fond of saying, if one has drinkable water, food for three meals a day, access to medical care and education, and a place to live; that person is rich in the eyes of two thirds of the world. Toys R Us is not simply the name of a store, rather it’s a way of life for many people, particularly when luxuries become necessities. But the Christian Gospel reminds us that “No one is so poor that they have nothing to give; and no one is so rich that he or she has nothing to receive.” As Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

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Sunday’s Worship – We are open for live worship on Sundays at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. We also “live-stream” our 10 a.m. service.

Video Viewing Options for Sunday’s mass. There are three different ways to view our videos: 1) our church website; 2) our Facebook page; and 3) our YouTube channel. See the links listed below.

Opportunities for Giving – there are several options that safely and efficiently expedite your generous donations: electronic bank transfers or automatic bank transfers via personal accounts or credit/debit cards; personal checks delivered by USPS; and our favorite through joining our giving family online through our website or at https://www.myEoffering.com with our secure vendor Church Envelope Budget Company, who provides you with yearly offering envelopes. Please do NOT leave any envelopes with checks/cash unattended at church mailboxes.

Sandwiches for St. George’s: Please bring your sandwiches to St. David’s west side paring lot each Thursday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Hospitality Hour is scheduled after the 10:00 a.m. mass – Hosted by the Caribbean Congregation.

Caribbean Sunday: Please join us for our 1st Caribbean Sunday service on Sunday, October 24th at 10 a.m. We will have steel pan music with a Caribbean reception following the mass. St. David’s in-the-Pines remains committed to the health and safety of all who enter our sanctuary. We continue to follow the protocols set by the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida. Guests are strongly encouraged to wear facial coverings that covers the nose and mouth.

Shop with Scrip: Gift card fundraising is the best way to raise money. Start giving back to St. David’s the moment you buy a gift card with the RaiseRight mobile app today! You can join the program by downloading the app on your phone or go to www.ShopWithScrip.com on your computer. The enrollment code to set up your free family account is BB6656B177722. For more information, please pick up a flyer in the narthex, or email Kimberly Joy Castellotti-Ward at choiceplusrealestate@gmail.com

Altar Flowers and Candles: We will have a bag on the credenza to collect all flower and candle donations for upcoming Sundays. If you would like to donate for altar flowers for memorials and celebrations, please put your check for $40 with a request showing the date you want altar flowers and the reason for your donation into the bag. If you want to donate candles, please put your check for $20 and request showing date and reason for donation. Do not put flower and candle requests in offering plates.

Sunday School is still in operation with the necessary protocol in place.

Forward Day by Day brochures for the next quarter are now available in the narthex. Donation $3.00.

Tuesdays: Holy Eucharist 8:30 a.m.
Wednesdays: Holy Eucharist and Rosary 6:30 p.m.

PLEASE PRAY: For the sick: Assad, Barbara, Beth, Carol, Donna, Doug, Ginny, Jacob, Jayden, Jeanne, Joaquin, Manuel, Max, Michael, Miguel, Mike, Parker, Rosalind, Susan. For the departed: Slobodanka. For birthday celebrations: Violet Henry, Henry Marshall, Callie Hawk, Fay Ishmael, Iann McCree. For our expectant mothers: Meghan, Priya and Ryan.

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzWRA9VxChBQd5l6rf3kF3A

WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – October 17th – Fr. Thomas

October 15, 2021/in Weekly Message /by Christian

Paddy Kerrigan was going through Irish customs after his trip to France. Among his suitcases stood a brown gallon container. “And what might this be?” asked the customs officer. “Sure, that is holy water from Lourdes I’m bringing back to my loved ones.” The customs officer unscrewed the top, sniffed, blinked, raised the bottle, and tasted the contents. “Water, did you say? This is brandy, strong French brandy!” “Praise the Lord!” cried Kerrigan; “Another miracle!”

We’re all familiar with the poplar story in John’s Gospel of Jesus changing water into wine, a hundred and eighty gallons, at the wedding feast of Cana; (after they had already consumed the first lot.) So how does our walk with Jesus change our life for the better? How does it transform our emptiness into something even greater? When the wine of our souls runs out, follow Mary’s words, “Do whatever he tells you.” And for that reason alone– she ought to be our heroine; because as a woman of faith Mary believed Jesus could do anything.

So “Hang in There.” Remember, though, before God can fill us up, He has to empty out “the old water” first. God can only fill us up in proportion to the emptiness of our cup. We are earthen vessels; and God wants to wash out the guilt, sorrow, resentment, selfishness, and pride of our lives. The Good News is that we don’t walk the journey alone. Mary and all the saints accompany us. As she was there at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, so she was there at its earthly end too. In Him is the “Fullness of Joy;” and we pray that His joy might be in us and that our joy might be full. Jesus saved the best for last; because the best is yet to come.

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Sunday’s Worship – We are open for live worship on Sundays at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. We also “live-stream” our 10 a.m. service.

Video Viewing Options for Sunday’s mass. There are three different ways to view our videos: 1) our church website; 2) our Facebook page; and 3) our YouTube channel. See the links listed below.

Opportunities for Giving – there are several options that safely and efficiently expedite your generous donations: electronic bank transfers or automatic bank transfers via personal accounts or credit/debit cards; personal checks delivered by USPS; and our favorite through joining our giving family online through our website or at https://www.myEoffering.com with our secure vendor Church Envelope Budget Company, who provides you with yearly offering envelopes. Please do NOT leave any envelopes with checks/cash unattended at church mailboxes.

Blood Drive: The Big Red Bus will be at St. David’s on Sunday, October 17th, from 8:30 am to 12 pm. To donate please register at https://donor.oneblood.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/1045955. Be sure to eat a good breakfast. Remember, you can save lives by donating. Thank you, Joyce Parker 561-312-2719

Sandwiches for St. George’s: Please bring your sandwiches to St. David’s west side paring lot each Thursday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Hospitality Hour is scheduled after the 10:00 a.m. mass – Hosted by the Congregation.

Caribbean Sunday: Please join us for our 1st Caribbean Sunday service on October 24th at 10 a.m. We will have steel pan music with a Caribbean reception following the mass. Volunteers and donations are welcomed! For more information, please contact Howard Barrett at 917-837-2675

Shop with Scrip: Gift card fundraising is the best way to raise money. Start giving back to St. David’s the moment you buy a gift card with the RaiseRight mobile app today! You can join the program by downloading the app on your phone or go to www.ShopWithScrip.com on your computer. The enrollment code to set up your free family account is BB6656B177722. For more information, please pick up a flyer in the narthex, or email Kimberly Joy Castellotti-Ward at choiceplusrealestate@gmail.com

Altar Flowers and Candles: We will have a bag on the credenza to collect all flower and candle donations for upcoming Sundays. If you would like to donate for altar flowers for memorials and celebrations, please put your check for $40 with a request showing the date you want altar flowers and the reason for your donation into the bag. If you want to donate candles, please put your check for $20 and request showing date and reason for donation. Do not put flower and candle requests in offering plates.

Sunday School is still in operation with the necessary protocol in place.

Forward Day by Day brochures for the next quarter are now available in the narthex. Donation $3.00.

Tuesdays: Holy Eucharist 8:30 a.m.
Wednesdays: Holy Eucharist and Rosary 6:30 p.m.

PLEASE PRAY: For the sick: Assad, Barbara, Beth, Carol, Donna, Doug, Ginny, Jacob, Jayden, Jeanne, Joaquin, Manuel, Max, Michael, Miguel, Mike, Parker, Rosalind, Susan. For the departed: Peggy Forbes, Granville Worell. For birthday celebrations: Yvonne Wolliston, Aaron Harvey-Chung, Christopher Hernandez. For anniversary celebration: Everald and Phyllis Thomas. For our expectant mothers: Lauren, Meghan, Priya and Ryan.

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzWRA9VxChBQd5l6rf3kF3A

WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – October 10th – Fr. Thomas

October 10, 2021/in Weekly Message /by Christian

The telephone rang in a noted surgeon’s home on the outskirts of a large city. It was in the early hours of the morning. When the surgeon answered it, he heard the voice of a staff doctor at the hospital where he worked calling him to come immediately. A child was violently ill and the only answer was surgery.

He quickly got dressed, grabbed his doctor’s case, and drove toward the city. At the first traffic light at the bare edge of town, he had to stop when the signal turned red. Then it happened: the passenger side door opened, and a man entered and seated himself down. He was dressed in an old brown corduroy coat with a shabby brown cap on his head. When the light changed, the surgeon started to pull away only to have a gun poked into his ribs, and the passenger said, “Stop the car!” What would the doctor do? He stopped, and when the man said, “Get out!” what else could he do. He got out; and the man took over the car and sped away.

The surgeon walked with his case to the nearest gas station, which was quite a distance ahead, very upset over what had happened. As soon as he reached the gas station, he called for a taxi which was late in arriving. Eventually he arrived at the hospital. “Too late!” They told him; the child had died. “If only he had been there on time,” he thought. Then the inevitable and difficult question: “Would you speak with the child’s family?” Of course, he consented, wondering what to say. When he entered the room, there was only one person present: the very man in the brown corduroy coat and shabby brown cap who had stolen his car! The thief had forced out of his life the only person who could have saved his child’s life!

Apparently this is a true story; and sadly, too many people often force God out of their life, particularly at those moments when they need God’s presence and saving grace the most. Regular sacramental worship, reading the scriptures, saying one’s prayers, and where possible, ministering to those in need of our kindness, will help keep us on the right path, and prevent those people and moments from evicting the very person who can help us the most – Jesus Christ our Lord, by the power of His Holy Spirit.

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Bunco continues on Saturday, October 9 th at 6 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Loads of fun and super easy for newcomers! The more the merrier, so bring a friend. Cash prizes awarded – even if you lose! Bring a bite to share and your favorite beverage – $10 per person.